GALENA – The Darlington baseball team tried to mount a pair of furious rallies in a pair of games at the 2012 Galena Tournament on Saturday, April 21, but the Redbirds’ bids each fell a little short as they were nipped by the host Pirates, 5-3, and Southwestern, 6-4, to finish 0-2 on the day.
    The Redbirds (1-5 overall) started off a bit slow in the opener on Saturday morning and the Pirates took advantage by scoring three times in the second inning and twice in the fourth frame to build up a 5-0 advantage.
    Darlington woke up in the top of the sixth inning and got a pair of runs off Galena starter Mitchell Wubben to fight their way back into the game.
    Jason Singer started the rally with a single, stole second and scored on catcher Cole McDonald’s RBI-double; and McDonald came in on a fielder’s choice by first baseman John Sturtz to slice the deficit to 5-2.
    Darlington pitcher Griffin Heinberg struck out the side in order in the fifth inning and he did it again to the Pirates in the sixth to keep the score within reach.
    Singles by Tyler Black and Brett Coulthard started the Redbird rally in the seventh and an error by the Pirates allowed Black to score to make it 5-3.
    The Redbirds were threatening with two runners on base with no one out, but Wubben snagged Singer’s screaming line-drive up the middle in the air and caught the Redbird runner off base for a deflating double-play.
    Darlington still had a chance to tie the score when McDonald stepped to the plate, however Wubben got him to fly out to left field to end the game.
    Against Southwestern in the consolation game later in the day, the ‘Birds grabbed an early lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first, but the Wildcats fought back with a run in the second and a five-run tally in the fourth to open up a 6-2 advantage.
    Darlington cut the deficit in half with two more runs in the fifth, but that would be as close as they would get as Wildcats’ pitcher Aaron Tranel stranded two Redbird runners in scoring position in the fifth and worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth to secure the win for Southwestern.
    McDonald drove in a run and scored another for the ‘Birds in game two, while Brandon Hardyman drove in a run for Darlington.
    Singer took the loss on the mound after yielding six runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts.
    Earlier in the week, the Redbirds’ SWAL game against Boscobel was postponed due to darkness with the teams deadlocked at 13-13. The game will be completed when the ‘Birds travel to Boscobel on Thursday, May 10.
    Darlington’s game at Riverdale on Thursday was postponed due to rain. It will be made up on Thursday, April 26, in Muscoda, starting at 4:30 p.m.
    The Redbirds also have upcoming SWAL games at Mineral Point on Friday, April 27, and at Fennimore on Tuesday, May 1. Each game will start at 4:30 p.m.

Darlington… 000  002  1 - 3
Galena….…. 030  200  x - 5
Leading Hitters: Jason Singer 2x4, Tyler Black 2x3. 2B- Cole McDonald.
WP- Wubben. LP- Griffin Heinberg.

Darlington…….. 200  020  0 - 4  5  2
Southwestern… 010  500  x - 6  7  1
Leading Hitters: NA.
WP- Tranel. LP- Jason Singer.
At Galena on Saturday, April 21